Narrative:

Center gave clearance to cross psk VOR at FL270. We were VMC in cruise at FL290. Clearance was received, read back correctly. We were approximately 80 mi (or 10 mins) prior to our descent point for that restr when it was given. Decision was made not to descend immediately for fuel conservation and smoothness of ride considerations. ZDC called us within 5 mi of psk VOR to see if we 'were given clearance to descend.' we descended immediately and confirmed our clearance. Center did not advise us of any conflict. 10 mins is quite a long time. In retrospect, I should have discussed the crossing restr more thoroughly with the captain/check airman, made a better mental note or other memory aid, or just descended immediately. Supplemental information from acn 472117: I entered the altitude into the 'legs' page of the FMC and the altitude window of the MCP. While still west of psk, ZTL handed us off to ZDC. Descended to FL270, reaching this altitude approximately 7 NM east of the VOR. This incident was purely a result of my forgetting about the assigned restr. I had programmed the FMC, but I don't remember seeing a 'reset MCP altitude' alerting message as we would have in the -300 and -500 models in our fleet. Because the restr was given so far away from the VOR and that the altitude change was only 2000 ft, there was no sense of urgency to comply immediately to this restr. Normal cockpit distrs and duties took precedence until I completely forgot about the restr. I also have very limited experience in this model (-700) aircraft and what experience I do have has been spread out so that I only see this aircraft about once every 4-5 weeks. As a result, I'm slow in interping the EFIS 'map' mode with reference to the conventional VOR display. The time between receiving the restr to actually needing to take the actions to comply in this case left too much time to become distraction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLC FAILS TO START THEIR DSCNT FROM FL290 TO CROSS PSK VOR AT FL270 WITH ZDC, DC.

Narrative: CTR GAVE CLRNC TO CROSS PSK VOR AT FL270. WE WERE VMC IN CRUISE AT FL290. CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, READ BACK CORRECTLY. WE WERE APPROX 80 MI (OR 10 MINS) PRIOR TO OUR DSCNT POINT FOR THAT RESTR WHEN IT WAS GIVEN. DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO DSND IMMEDIATELY FOR FUEL CONSERVATION AND SMOOTHNESS OF RIDE CONSIDERATIONS. ZDC CALLED US WITHIN 5 MI OF PSK VOR TO SEE IF WE 'WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND.' WE DSNDED IMMEDIATELY AND CONFIRMED OUR CLRNC. CTR DID NOT ADVISE US OF ANY CONFLICT. 10 MINS IS QUITE A LONG TIME. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THE XING RESTR MORE THOROUGHLY WITH THE CAPT/CHK AIRMAN, MADE A BETTER MENTAL NOTE OR OTHER MEMORY AID, OR JUST DSNDED IMMEDIATELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 472117: I ENTERED THE ALT INTO THE 'LEGS' PAGE OF THE FMC AND THE ALT WINDOW OF THE MCP. WHILE STILL W OF PSK, ZTL HANDED US OFF TO ZDC. DSNDED TO FL270, REACHING THIS ALT APPROX 7 NM E OF THE VOR. THIS INCIDENT WAS PURELY A RESULT OF MY FORGETTING ABOUT THE ASSIGNED RESTR. I HAD PROGRAMMED THE FMC, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING A 'RESET MCP ALT' ALERTING MESSAGE AS WE WOULD HAVE IN THE -300 AND -500 MODELS IN OUR FLEET. BECAUSE THE RESTR WAS GIVEN SO FAR AWAY FROM THE VOR AND THAT THE ALT CHANGE WAS ONLY 2000 FT, THERE WAS NO SENSE OF URGENCY TO COMPLY IMMEDIATELY TO THIS RESTR. NORMAL COCKPIT DISTRS AND DUTIES TOOK PRECEDENCE UNTIL I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE RESTR. I ALSO HAVE VERY LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL (-700) ACFT AND WHAT EXPERIENCE I DO HAVE HAS BEEN SPREAD OUT SO THAT I ONLY SEE THIS ACFT ABOUT ONCE EVERY 4-5 WKS. AS A RESULT, I'M SLOW IN INTERPING THE EFIS 'MAP' MODE WITH REF TO THE CONVENTIONAL VOR DISPLAY. THE TIME BTWN RECEIVING THE RESTR TO ACTUALLY NEEDING TO TAKE THE ACTIONS TO COMPLY IN THIS CASE LEFT TOO MUCH TIME TO BECOME DISTR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.